Seats on airplanes are required by the National Aircraft Standard to provide at least 36½ inches of back support in all passenger seats. Headrests are often used to extend the height of the seat back to the required minimum while limiting the weight of the seat on airplanes. Making these headrests adjustable in height provides an additional feature to make passengers more comfortable on their journey. Headrests also serve as important safety features in airplanes for seats that face the tail of the airplane. Typical headrests are connected to the seat and do not adjust to accommodate the various positions of the seat or the various positions a passenger may adopt while sitting or reclining.
To rest or sleep during long flights, because typical headrests are static on configuration or minimally adjustable, passengers often carry on personal neck support pillows for comfort and support during repose. For passenger comfort and convenience, an improvement in headrest design is needed that supports resting passengers and improves head and neck comfort during flight.